Tony Gollan reveals key concern over three-pronged attack in George Moore Stakes

Tony Gollan boasts a stacked hand in Saturday Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben and it isn’t a set of wide barriers that has him concerned about his runners.

It isn’t the sticky barrier draw that has Tony Gollan concerned about Saturday’s Group 3 George Moore Stakes – it’s the weather forecast.

The champion trainer said a wet and wild affair at Doomben could upset the apple cart for a number of horses in the traditional summer sprint kick-off point.

With a three-pronged attack in the race, Gollan said it was his outsider Millane who would best handle a rain-affected track and while he was confident Hidden Wealth could get through it, he had grave fears for Zarastro should the heavens open.

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Hidden Wealth and Zarastro have drawn the two outside barriers in the $200,000 feature which is sure to feature speed, even with NSW galloper Front Page set to scratch due to the forecast rain.

“I am more worried about the weather than the draws,” Gollan said.

“Zarastro’s record on the wet is no good at all, we will see what happens there, there is probably the option to leave him for a week if I want (for the Bribie Handicap) because he doesn’t have to run.

“Hidden Wealth will handle the ground, he has drawn a bit awkward so we will just go forward and try to find our spot.

“He doesn’t have to lead, he isn’t a one-trick pony, he is an up, on-speed bully.”

Jockey Angela Jones will ride Zarastro for trainer Tony Gollan if he runs on Saturday. Picture: Kevin Farmer

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Gollan has long spruiked Hidden Wealth as one of the up-and-comers in his stable and finally had his opinion franked when he won the time honoured Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba in September.

He returned with a scorching trial victory last week to put the writing on the wall for a bumper summer carnival.

“He is a horse that could really jump out of the ground this summer, he gets into these races really nicely at the weights when he is on the minimum,” Gollan said.

“A 54kg horse like him can punch through his grades pretty quickly.”

Toowoomba product @tonygollan broke a long Weetwood drought last year and now he owns TWO! Hidden Wealth shows sustained speed under Ange Jones to hold out locally-trained Yellow Brick. pic.twitter.com/kOCDvMVCpX

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 28, 2024

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Gollan has both Hi Barbie and Lockyer in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1100m) on a Magic Millions path, where he says he expects a newcomer to relish a wet track.

“The ground favours the filly (Hi Barbie), she went really well on wet ground the other day in a trial and her mother (Outback Barbie) won on a Heavy track one day.

“The colt (Lockyer), I thought his trial was just tradesman-like because of the ground, because I reckon he is going really good.

“If this rain comes, which looks certain, I might leave him for another day.”

Originally published as Tony Gollan reveals key concern over three-pronged attack in George Moore Stakes